Stapling device



M y 19, 1942. 'NL/VOGEL. l '4 2,283,873

STAPLING DEVICE Filed AMay '3, 1940 's sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY vvmagy 19, 1942; M VQQEL 2,283,873'

STAPLING DEVICE Filed May 2, 1940 A s serts-sheet 2 INVENTOR AgY/Ifxx VEGA-1I.. W

` ATTORNEY 'Mayl'sflmz M, VQGEL' A 2,283,873

STAPLING DEVICE Filed May 2, 1940 5 sheets-sheet 3 www n l..I

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l I INVENTR lgY/IAX VJEL.

` ATTORNEY Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED STATES y PATNT 7 Claims. The present invention relatesto improvements i in stapling devices, particularly of the type adapted to separate individual staples from a staple strip and drive and clinch the staples with -respect to the material to be stapled. Such stapling devices may be either of the prior or desk type, although the device illustrated herein is of the stapling plier type, it being understood that the particular features of novelty of the present invention are applicable to either type.

The invention relates especially to the staple driving means, and has for an object to provide a structure which may be economically manufactured by quantity production methods, and at the same time will be extremely accurate and will make it possible to maintain close tolerances so as to insure the proper driving of the staple without clogging. In stapling devices heretofore in use the usual type of driving means has consisted of a plate operating in a staple driving passage, the foremost staple kof the strip carried upon the staple carrying bar being disposed in this passage through the forward pressure of the spring pressed staple strip pusher. In order to permit of the free movement of the drive plate in the staple driving passage a certain amount of clearance has been necessary, even in devices where extreme care is observed in the formation and assembling of the parts, and in producing such devices by economic quantity production methods, where tolerances must loe allowed to take care of unavoidab-le variations, the clearance is apt to vary considerably. This results in allowing a portion of the second staple in the strip, that is, the staple immediately adjacent the staple disposed in the staple driving passage to project into the driving passage, with the result that it is apt to impede the action of the driving plate, causing clogging, and gradually wear upon the edge of the driving plate, so that such edge becomes rounded and will not drive a staple properly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stapling device in which spring means is provided to prevent movement of more than one staple into the staple driving passage and which during the driving action of the staple driving plate will press such plate into close contact with the forward end of the staple strip carrying bar, constituting the rear wall of the staple driving passage, to the end that an absolutely closely tted relation between the staple driving plate and the staple driving passage is maintained at all times, irrespective of variations resulting in the assembly, or the thickness of the metal parts, or which may result from wear of the parts through use.

A further object is to provide slide colver means for the staple driving head which may be readily opened to expose the staple driving passage, so that inthe event that a staple becomes jammed therein through attempting to force it through impenetrable material, or from other causes, it may be readily removed.

It is proposed in one embodiment of the invention to provide in combination with the spring means and staple driver of the type above referred to, an arrangement whereby a special Vtype of crowned staple may be automatically formed into U-shape through the initial movement of the staple driving plate, preliminary to driving it through the material to be stapled.

With the above and other objects in View, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will lbe finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a stapling plier, according to one exemplary illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the staple driving head portion of the stapling plier, a portion of the housing being broken away in section.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the stapling plier, partially broken away.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the staple driving head, the Vhousing being shownpartially broken away and partially in section. Y

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 'I-l of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view, showing the staple driving head and the staple driver in the stapling position in which the staple driving vhead is' in gripping engagement with the material to be stapled, and the staple driving plate is fully depressed to drive and clinch the staple. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the several parts of the staple driving head and a portion of the housing in` separated relation.

Fig. 1l is a perspective view of the staple driving head, the housing portion being partially broken away.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the cover slide raised to expose the staple driving passage.

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of a modified form of the invention adapted for driving crowned staples.

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional View thereof, taken along the line I-IA of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a front elevation showing the staple driver partially depressed to form the staple into U-shape.

Fig. 16 is a side view showing the staple driver plate completely depressed to drive and clinch the staple. l

Fig. 1'7 is a front elevation of a further modified form of the invention in which a modified form of cover slid plate is employed.

Fig. 18 is a side elevation thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the stapling plier, according to the exemplary illustrated embodiment of the invention, comprises a housing I0, preferably formed of sheet metal pressed and bent to shape, having the upper grip handle II formed integrally therewith, the lower portions of the side walls of the housing having slots I2 constituting the material receiving mouth, and the portions I3 of the side walls below these slots having a U-shape strut member Ill secured 3 therebetween, preferably by means of welding, and forming by its transverse portion the lower wall of the housing. Within the strut there is welded or otherwise suitably secured an anvil member I5 having at its forward end an upwardly offset portion I5 having an anvil recess I'I therein, and having at its rearward end an upwardly bent wall I8 with which the spring of the pliers is adapted to be hooked, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The staple driving head and staple carrying guide of the plier, which constitutes the upper jaw for cooperating with the anvil jaw, is of boxlike form and comprises a member I9 of U-form in cross-section having a rearwardly extending elongated channel extensionportion 29 for receiving the staple strip carrier bar and staple pusher, the member I9 which extends vertically from the forward end of the extension portion 20 constituting the casing portion of the staple driving head.

Within the member I9 there is secured, preferably by welding, an inverted U-shape frame member 2 I, the upper transverse portion of which constitutes the top wall of the head, the lower edges of the sides of this frame member being provided with inwardly bent fianges 22-22, which are in line with inwardly bent flanges 23-23 provided at the upper edges of the side walls of the extension 29 and forming therewith an upper staple strip guide or limit means.

A staple carrier bar 24 of U-shape in crosssection is secured to the base of member I9, and its extension portion 29, preferably by welding, its forward edge being ush with the forward edge of the member I9 and constituting the rearward wall of the staple driving passage, as will hereinafter more fully appear. rIhe side walls of the staple carrier bar are inwardly spaced from the side walls of the member I9 and extension portion 29, and the top edges are spaced downwardly from the flanges 22-22 and 23-23, thereby providing right angular guide spaces at each side in which the inverted U-shaped staple strip A is guided.

(j Il Intermediate the ends of the extension portion 2U its base is transversely slotted, as at 25, and ears 29-26 extend downwardly in flush relation with the side surface of the extension 2D, these ears being provided with aligned apertures 2'I-2'I which are engaged by the pin 28, mounted in the sides of the housing I9 at a point near the lower edges rearwardly of the notches I2-I 2, the side surfaces of the extension 29 and the ears 26-26 being spaced from the inner surface of the sides of the housing Ill a sufficient distance to receive the sides of the staple driver operating lever.

The staple driver operating lever is ol sheet metal, formed and bent to shape, and comprises a lower grip handle portion 29 from which the spaced side portions 39-30 are bent upwardly in spaced relation and are then bent inwardly, as at 3l, the side portions which then extend upwardly and forwardly being brought into contacting relation and welded together to form a forwardly projecting arm 32 of double metal thickness. This arm 32 is pivotally mounted within the housing I upon a pin 33, secured between the sides of the housing, the forward projecting end of the arm 32 being adapted to engage the staple driving plate, to depress and retract it through operation of the lever, and as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Upon pressing of the handles II and 29 together the operating lever pivots about the pin 33 and the side portions 39 thereof move slidably between the extension 2U and housing I9, being provided for this purpose with slots 34 arranged concentrically to the axis of the pin 33 and engaged by the pin 21.

A spring 35, coiled intermediate its ends, has one end provided with a hook 35 hooked over the wall portion I8 of the lower jaw, its other end being slidably engaged with the inner surface of the handle 29, and its coil being disposed rearwardly of the pin 28 and pressed upwardly against the under surface of the extension 29, this single spring thus exerting pressure to both 1; press the handle 29 to open position and to normally exert pressure upon the staple driving head and extension portion 20 in counter-clockwise direction.

The staple carrying bar is provided with a push-shoe 31 pressed forwardly by a spring 38 disposed upon. a rod 39 upon which the shoe is slidably engaged, the rearward end of this rod being provided with a latching plate 4I] adapted to be detachably latched through rotation of the plate in a notch 4I in the extension portion 29, and which may be readily removed to permit insertion of the staple strips.

The parts thus far described are substantially similar to the stapling plier disclosed in the patent to Edward C. Johnson No. 2,157,987, granted May 9, 1939, and are disclosed herein simply for the purpose of illustration, no claim being made to these parts per se.

I The side walls of the staple driving head casing member I9 are each provided with an outwardly embossed rib 42 to provide beaiing contact with the inner surface of the side walls of the housing member I9, which are outwardly spaced from the member I9 to provide clearance spaces as above pointed out for the side walls 30 of the staple driver operating lever, these ribs being arcuate in shape and concentric to the pivot pin 28, so that there is line contact between the members I9 and I0, during relative pivotal movement of the member I9 into gripping relation with the material being stapled, to thus reduce friction and wear to a minimum.' At the forward edges of the side portions of the member I9 there are provided outwardly bent vertically disposed ilanges 43-43, the forward surfaces of which are flush with the forward edges of the staple carrying bar 24 and the frame member 2 I.

The staple driving plate 44, which is preferably formed of hardened steel and is rectangular in shape, is provided with a slot 45 in which the forward end of the lever 32 is engaged. This staple driving plate is engaged for vertical sliding movement at its rearward surface with the forward surface of the frame member 2I is engaged and guided at its side edges by a pair of vertical bearing strip members 46-.45, and is engaged at its forward surface by the upper relatively wide securing portion 41 of the spring member. This spring member is secured to the forward sides of the strip members 46-46 by screws 48, which screws also 4secure the strip members to the flanges 43-43 of the member I9.

The spring member is provided with a slot 49 engaged by the lever 32, the upper end of this slot limiting the upward movement of the lever while the lower end limits the downward movement as the lever is operated to depress the staple driving plate 44. The spring member 4'I is provided at its lower end with a downwardly projecting relatively narrow spring portion 50 slightly curved outwardly from the surface of the staple driver plate at its lower end portion, and provided at its lower edge with an inwardly projecting lip i, which lip in the normal retracted position of the staple driving plate is in position to engage and support the under surface of the bridge of the foremost staple of the staple strip which is disposed in the staple driving passage, and as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. The pressure of this spring is suliciently great to prevent forward movement of the second staple in the strip into the staple driving passage, under the lesser pressure of the push shoe spring 38, in the event that the staple driving passage has sufficient clearance so that such staple would otherwise be permitted to move into such passage, where it would obstruct the movement of the staple driving plate. During driving movement of the staple driving plate the spring becomes released from the staple, and thereupon presses againstV the forward surface of the staple driving plate to maintain it firmly against the rearward wall of the staple driving passage formed by the forward end of the staple carrier bar, and as shown clearly in Fig. 9.

A cover slide 52 is engaged upon the staple driving head, and is provided at its sides with inwardly bent flanges 53-53 which enclose the flanges 43, the strips 46 and the marginal portions of the spring member 41. A slot 54 is provided in the cover slide which is co-extensive with the slot 49 of the spring member 4'I., and through which the lever 32 projects. In its lower end the cover slide is provided with an opening 55 in which the lower end of the spring 50 is disposed and which provides a free space for outward iiexing of this end -of the spring during driving movement of the staple driving plate.

This opening is narrower than the staple driving passage and at the sides thereof there areprovided inwardly offset portions Sli- 56, which constitute a forward wall for the lower portion of the staple driving passage. 'I'he upper ends of these offset portions constitute limiting shoulders which in the raised open position of the cover l slide, as shown in Fig. 12, abut the lower edge portions of the spring member 4'I at each side of the spring portion 50 to limit the open position of the cover slide. In assembling the cover slide it will be understood that it is slid upwardly from the lower end of the staple driving head prior to assembly'of the head inthe housing member I. In the assembled position the engagement of the lever end 32 in the slot 54 prevents disengagement downwardly of the cover slide. During normal downward and upward movement of the lever end 32 in the operation of driving a staple, said lever end moves freely in the slot 54 so that there is no tendency to carry the cover slide downwardly or upwardly with it. However, the projection of the curved portion 50 of the spring in the opening 55 serves as a positive abutment for the upper edge of said opening to prevent accidental downward movement of the cover sl1de.

After being opened to permit access to the staple driving passage, for the purpose of removing staples which may have become jammed through attempting to force them through impenetrable Amaterial, the cover slide may be closed manually,

or it may be closed automatically through opera- `tion of the operating lever to depress the staple driving plate. Inasmuch as the lower end of the slot 54 is in engagement with the lever in the raised position of the cover slide downward movement of the lever will automatically move the cover slide to its closed position. 'I'he housing member I [l is provided at its top with a forwardly projecting lip portion 51 which lits into the upper end of the cover slide above the upper ends of the spring 47, strips 13G-4S, and flanges 43--43.

The base of the casing member I9 of the staple driving head is provided at its forward edge and at each side vof the staple carrier bar with a clearance sl-ot 58, slightly longer than the length of the staple legs so that in the event that a staple becomes displaced from its norm-al vertical position, either through jamming or other causes, it will readily clear the staple driving head.

In Figs 13 to 16 I have illustrated a modied form of the invention in which thestaple carrier bar 24a` is specially shaped to receive and support a special type of crowned staple strip B, in which the bridge of the 'staple is arched by an angular centrally disposed bend, and in which the legs which are at right angles to the bridge at each side of the bend, converge downwardly. In this embodiment the lower edge Vof the staple driving plate in its raised retracted position is so spaced with respect to the lip 5I of the spring that the'lip will engage beneath the arched bridge while the staple driving plate clears its uppersurface. In driving the staple the initial downward movement 'of-the staple driving plate straightens the crowned bridge, the pressure of the spring 5I) being sufficient to support the bridge at its underside during this straightening action. When the bridge is thus straightened, as shown clearly in Fig. 15, the staple is of normal U-shape so that its'legs are parallel and engage the sides `of. the staple driving passage. Thereupon the driving action is completed by fully depressing the staple driving plate, as shown in Fig. 16.

In-Figs. 17 and 18- I have shown a modified form of cover slide in which the flanged side edges 53 of the rstembodiment are dispensed with. In this embodiment the cover slideis in the form of a rectangular plate 52a provided with vertical slots 59 which are engaged by shouldered studs 6i] screwed into the flanges i3-43 of the staple driving head casing member. replace the two upper screws 48 at each side, as employed in the rst embodiment, to secure the spring 4l and guide strips 46-46 to the flanges i3-d3.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a staple driving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guide individual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driver engaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retracting movement, and spring means carried by said staple driving head arranged to exert pressure upon said staple driver during its staple driving movement to press it against the rearward side of said staple driving passage, said spring means in the retracted position of said staple driver having an end portion disposed forwardly of the staple strip supporting means and including a substantially vertical part arranged to engage the forward side of the bridge of the foremost staple disposed in the staple driving passage and an inwardly extending lip part arranged to engage the under side of the bridge of said foremost staple.

2. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a staple driving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guide individual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driver engaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retracting movement, spring means carried by said staple driving head arranged to exert pressure upon said staple driver during its staple driving movement to press it against the rearward side of said staple driving passage, and a cover slide engaged upon said staple driving head having a lower end portion constituting the forward side of said staple driving passage in forwardly spaced relation to the forward end of said staple strip supporting means, said cover slide adapted to be relatively7 moved upon said staple driving head to expose said staple driving passage at the front.

3. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a staple driving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guide individual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driver engaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retracting movement, spring means secured to said staple driving head constituting the forward side of the upper portion of said driving passage and arranged to exert pressure upon said staple driver during its staple driving movement to press it against the rearward side of said staple driving passage, a cover slide engaged upon said staple driving head having a lower end portion constituting the forward side of said staple driving passage in forwardly spaced relation to the forward end of said staple strip supporting means, said cover slide adapted to be relatively moved upon said staple driving head to expose the lower portion of said staple driving passage at the front.

4. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a staple driving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guide indi- These studs4 vidual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driver engaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retracting movement, spring means secured to said staple driving head constituting the forward side of the upper portion of said driving passage and arranged to exert pressure upon said staple driver during its staple driving movement to press it against the rearward side of said staple driving passage, a cover slide engaged upon said staple driving head having a lower end portion constituting the forward side of said staple driving passage in forwardly spaced relation to the forward end of said staple strip supporting means, said cover slide adapted to be relatively moved upon said staple driving head to expose the lower portion of said staple driving passage at the front, said lower end portion of said cover slide having an opening in which said spring means is arranged to flex forwardly.

5. lIn a stapling device, a staple driving head having a front wall adapted to constitute the rearward side of a staple driving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guide individual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a pair of vertically disposed side strip bearing means secured to said staple driving head and constituting the side walls of the staple driving head, a spring member secured to said staple driving head and engaged upon the forward ver: tically disposed surfaces of said side strip bearing members at their upper portions and extending between said bearing member to constitute the forward side of the upper portion of the staple driving passage, a staple driver disposed in said staple driver passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retracting movement, said spring member having a yieldable spring portion adapted to engage said staple driver at the forward side during its staple driving movementl to press it against the rearward wall 0f said staple driving passage.

6. In a stapling device, a staple driving head having a front wall adapted to constitute the rearward side of a staple driving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guide individual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a pair of vertically disposed side strip bearing members secured to said staple driving head and constituting the side walls of the staple driving head, a spring member secured to said staple driving head and engaged upon the forward vertically disposed surfaces of said side strip bearing members at their upper portions and extending between said bearing members to constitute the forward side of the upper portion of the staple driving passage, a staple driver disposed in said staple driving passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retracting movement, said spring member having a yieldable spring portion adapted to engage said staple driver at the forward side during its staple driving movement to press it against the rearward wall of said staple driving passage, and a cover slide engaged upon said staple driving head provided at its lower portionV with an opening in which said yieldable spring portion is disposed and having at the side edges of said opening inwardly offset portions constituting the front wall of the lower portion of the staple driving passage, said cover slide adapted to be moved relatively to said staple driving head to expose the lower portion of said staple driving passage at the front.

'7. In a stapling device, a Staple driving head including a staple driving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guide individual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driver engaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retracting movement, and spring means carried by said staple driving head arranged to exert pressure upon said staple driver during its staple driving movement to press it against the rearward side of said staple driving passage, said spring means in the retracted position of said staple driver having a portion disposed forwardly of the staple strip supporting means and arranged to engage the forward surface of the bridge of the foremost 

